Extended Reflection Journal (BLOG) : In the note "Evils Imminent," Erik Larson writes "Beneath the gore and smoke and loam, this book is about the evanescence of life, and why some men choose to fill their brief allotment of time engaging the impossible, others in the manufacture of sorrow" [xi]. What does the book reveal about "the ineluctable conflict between good and evil"? What is the essential difference between men like Daniel Burnham and Henry H. Holmes? Are they alike in any way?
In Larson's factual story of the world's fair, he compares the good and the bad of Chicago; the good being Burnham, and the bad being Holmes. The two men are compared in the story, living in the "gore and smoke and loam" of dirty, 1800's Chicago. Burnham loving architecture, and Holmes loving... murder? Holmes and Burnham couldn't be more different, yet alike at the same time. This short “note” helps readers to determine the main idea of conflict present within the novels context. Holmes and Burnham are full of passion and precision, pertaining to murder and architecture, respectively. Both men achieve greatness and fame through this precision and perfection of their skills, for good and bad. Burnham is a fantastic architect, while Holmes is a perfect cold blooded murderer. Both of the two men use their amazing skills to manipulate and earn what they want in life, and to live the way they would like to. Holmes builds his perfect, trustworthy character in order to cover up and fool others, but is a murderer deep down, killing all throughout Chicago and leaving no traces. He perfected his craft of killing, and fools all; he comes off as a perfectly trustworthy and honest man to all he meets. His precision only leads to easier murders and quieter deaths for the people of Chicago. Holmes is the epitome of evil in this White City. Burnham, on the other hand, is always striving for good - and making everything bigger and better. He uses his skills to make the fair, and his city a better, more beautiful place. Buurnham only wants to help and create and improve, unlike Holmes, ruthlessly murdering everywhere. Burnham strives for good, over evil, in his White City. According to Larson, both men are “unusually adept at their chosen skills," leaving room only for perfection among their skills. The two men are so different, yet so alike - they both put so much passion into everything they do. The two men never meet, yet are so connected through The World's Fair, such an important event in history. The men embody America of the late 1800's and the World's Fair, exactly the way America was. The contrast of the men is shown in Larson's writing throughout the story, with factual events and the differences of “Good and Evil, daylight and darkness, the White City and the Black." Larson shows similarities and differences in the two men when it comes to their passions and how much they put into what they do, but contrasts with their idea of perfection, and the extreme differences in their talents. WIth the two men constantly being compared throughout the book, Larson does a great job of showing "the ineluctable conflict between good and evil" and how truly differently similar the men are. While Burnham spends all his time "engaging the impossible," and Holmes "in the manufacture of sorrow", the two men both apply great care and precision to their talents and the work they do.
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